DIFC and Microsoft create commercial court of the future

Agreement between DIFC Dispute Resolution Authority and Microsoft is the foundation for the commercial courts of the future.

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts announced its partnership with Microsoft to drive the digital transformation of the commercial courts' systems in the region.The DIFC Courts signed a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft during the International Association of Court Administrators in Washington, DC.

The agreement aims to enhance connectivity and virtual solutions to advance the more traditional court areas such as registrations, filings, case management, and even trials. For the courts of the future, the unique partnership with Microsoft formalises a joint ambition to advance technological innovation. The initiative will create new standards of digital excellence in line with achieving DIFC Courts’ 2021 vision of establishing and maintaining a world-class courts system that is reliable, accessible, efficient, and fair.

Indeed, the English language, common-law DIFC Courts offers businesses in the Middle East, Asia and Africa access to one of the world’s most advanced and innovative commercial courts. Utilising leading-edge technologies, the Smart Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) has already proven the promise of digital courts, enabling parties to attend a virtual court from anywhere in the world and to benefit from globally enforceable judgements. In 2017, this service was named one of the world’s Top 10 Court Technology Solutions by the US-based National Association for Court Management. The SCT resolves disputes remotely using advanced video technology. DMCC members can use the smart SCT facility at Almas Towers to connect with smart court facility back at DIFC. Before DIFC introduced the STC, the parties in a dispute and a judge needed to be present during Consultations and Hearings. With the new technology, all parties such as business owners who travel extensively and business partners in and out of Dubai can resolve disputes by attending wherever there is a broadband connection accessible by smartphones and computers.

Advertisement Technology has been central to the DIFC Courts’ operating model since starting operations in 2006. Among the many technologies, the courts have pioneered to increase access to justice, is the state-of-the-art e-filing system that now accounts for approximately 90% of all documents filed.

To explore the potential of the Microsoft cloud for continuous innovation, DIFC Courts will also engage in thought leadership discussions with Microsoft experts to drive digital transformation, and collaborate further to bring about disruptive technological concepts for ground-breaking advancement in civil and commercial dispute resolution.

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